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Contractor General warns Bartlett about airlift agreement denial
JamaicaObserver.com
Friday, June 11, 2010
CONTRACTOR General Greg Christie today issued a stern warning to Tourism Minister, Ed Bartlett and permanent secretary in the ministry Jennifer Griffiths <span style="font-weight: bold">about their alleged denial of representations made by them to his office.</span>
Yesterday Christie revealed that the deal had breached state procurement guidelines and was approved by Cabinet after it was operational.
<span style="font-weight: bold">In a release to the media Christie warned that his office will be taking steps to determine if false or misleading representations were made by Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, permanent secretary Jennifer Griffith and Jamaica Vacations Executive Director, Lionel Reid when they met with representatives of his office in April.</span>
The meeting was held at the request of Prime Minister Bruce Golding to brief the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) on two US Airways airlift agreements which had been entered into by the Government.
“In the circumstances, the OCG feels obliged to caution Minister Bartlett and Permanent Secretary Griffith to be circumspect in their future public utterances on the issue and to ensure that nothing is said which could be interpreted as challenging the veracity of the OCG’s report on the representations which they themselves have volunteered to the OCG,” the release said.
Christie pointed to a letter penned by Griffith as proof of irregularities in the deal.
"The flight series started on April 15, 2010 although approval has not yet been received from Cabinet and the contract is not yet signed by JamVac," the letter, which was forwarded to the media, stated.
Christie also warned that Bartlett's and Griffith's denials may be in breach of law.
"Section 29 (a) of the Contractor General Act provides that every person who willfully makes any false statement to mislead, or misleads, or attempts to mislead a Contractor General shall be guilty of a criminal offense," the release stated.
JamaicaObserver.com
Friday, June 11, 2010
CONTRACTOR General Greg Christie today issued a stern warning to Tourism Minister, Ed Bartlett and permanent secretary in the ministry Jennifer Griffiths <span style="font-weight: bold">about their alleged denial of representations made by them to his office.</span>
Yesterday Christie revealed that the deal had breached state procurement guidelines and was approved by Cabinet after it was operational.
<span style="font-weight: bold">In a release to the media Christie warned that his office will be taking steps to determine if false or misleading representations were made by Minister of Tourism Edmund Bartlett, permanent secretary Jennifer Griffith and Jamaica Vacations Executive Director, Lionel Reid when they met with representatives of his office in April.</span>
The meeting was held at the request of Prime Minister Bruce Golding to brief the Office of the Contractor General (OCG) on two US Airways airlift agreements which had been entered into by the Government.
“In the circumstances, the OCG feels obliged to caution Minister Bartlett and Permanent Secretary Griffith to be circumspect in their future public utterances on the issue and to ensure that nothing is said which could be interpreted as challenging the veracity of the OCG’s report on the representations which they themselves have volunteered to the OCG,” the release said.
Christie pointed to a letter penned by Griffith as proof of irregularities in the deal.
"The flight series started on April 15, 2010 although approval has not yet been received from Cabinet and the contract is not yet signed by JamVac," the letter, which was forwarded to the media, stated.
Christie also warned that Bartlett's and Griffith's denials may be in breach of law.
"Section 29 (a) of the Contractor General Act provides that every person who willfully makes any false statement to mislead, or misleads, or attempts to mislead a Contractor General shall be guilty of a criminal offense," the release stated.